Receiver threads drilled crooked

**RustyShackle** · 07-03-2018, 12:27 AM

Guess I could always pull the bbls and start measuring the diameter. I don’t have any good way to measure thread pitch and diameter at the thread datum line. Maybe we’re all flying by the seat of our britches.

like celltech I can’t believe this has been happening all along.

**mnbogboy2** · 07-03-2018, 09:19 AM

Like mentioned before it would be impossible to make perfect fit in all cases. I have found decent fits with SSS, Shilen, McGowen, Shaw and Savage. Also have seen the same barrels not so good in another action. Some Savage fits are real good while some are loose as a goose. We have to remember that every Savage action is a little different from the next one also. If one uses a good lug & nut and the barrel ends up sitting pretty decent in the barrel channel and your groups don't "walk" with temp increase I say the fit is good enough. Better yet if you remove the barrel and re-install it with the same torque and headspace and it shoots the same POI then it is good to go. With only changing barrels 20 or 30 times a year this has been my experience.
In the OPs case his was done wrong and hopefully will be taken care of.
Randy

**JeepsAndGuns** · 07-03-2018, 12:21 PM

Celltech, please let us know what happens and what they end up doing. Reading what they told you, I am scared they are going to say the same thing to me, and if they do, I am not sure what I am going to do.
I paid way too much money and waited way to dang long to get it, to have a barrel made out of spec. My barrel is a bull, 308 win, 1-10, 5R, 5/8-24 threaded muzzle, cryo treatment and nitrated.

**celltech** · 07-03-2018, 01:25 PM

I just spoke with them and they have been cutting based on 1.058" OD. They are quite perplexed as he claims they have been following this for years and nobody has ever said a word, their barrels are used in competitions, they shoot great, etc. They are going to talk to some gunsmiths and try to figure out just what they should be doing. I asked just where did they get the 1.058 from and he had no idea.

I feel for ya jeep...even if they cut a new barrel it will take forever to get all the treatments done. Out of curiosity, why bother with all of that?

To be continued...

**Robinhood** · 07-03-2018, 03:58 PM

Celtech. Did your "smith" tell you the barrel threads were undersized? I would be interested in knowing the pitch diameter. I'm going to get back with you with some numbers.

**celltech** · 07-03-2018, 04:25 PM

I don't have a smith, just a set of Chinesium calipers. I returned my barrel simply on the basis of this thread and my own observations. As for X-cal, they are admitting to nothing as of yet, just that nothing has changed on their end, the barrels fit their GO/NO-GO gauges (that I assume they made), but they will research it further. The only guy I have interfaced with is "Pat" and he does not seem to be technical...just sales and customer service.

I would love for you to pull a barrel and see what it looks like...

**JeepsAndGuns** · 07-04-2018, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by celltech

I feel for ya jeep...even if they cut a new barrel it will take forever to get all the treatments done. Out of curiosity, why bother with all of that?

Well cryo treatment everywhere I read was always 50-50, some swore by it and some said it made no difference. I have never had one so I figured, why not. As for the nitride, well I have a douglass barrel on my other savage and after a couple thousand rounds, I have noticed (via a bore scope) a good bit of heat cracking and throat erosion in it. So I figured I would try a nitrited barrel and see how much longer it lasts. I am not replacing the douglass barrel, it is on a completely different rifle in a different caliber, and still shoots great. I am just building a new rifle in 308.

I got my barrel back from the gunsmith and sent it back to x-caliber. Tracking number shows it should get there monday.

**gbflyer** · 07-04-2018, 10:18 AM

I have one they threaded. Also a PAC Nor. I’ll pull them down and mic them. I’ve got a new set of PEE DEE wires on order so it’ll be a few days.

**gbflyer** · 07-10-2018, 12:29 AM

This is a thread pitch diameter chart. I believe Savage small shank is classified 1-1/16-20 2B internal. I measured my PAC Nor that’s sitting here tonight with my new three wire set. The thread pitch measures 1.0273 which is within tolerance for 2B internal 2A external which gives a normal fit.

I will break the X-Cal prefit out in the next day or two.

**JeepsAndGuns** · 07-10-2018, 12:20 PM

According to the tracking number, they got my barrel back yesterday. No word from them yet. Hopefully they are getting things figured out and fixed. I will update when they contact me.

**celltech** · 07-10-2018, 01:33 PM

I keep debating on calling them... But all this discussion made me order a cheap 3 wire set and get a copy of the Machinery Handbook, really good stuff!

**Robinhood** · 07-10-2018, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by celltech

I keep debating on calling them... But all this discussion made me order a cheap 3 wire set and get a copy of the Machinery Handbook, really good stuff!

A good way to expand your understanding of how machinist look at the world.

**celltech** · 07-11-2018, 06:31 PM

Sent them an e-mail this morning and just got this response back: "We have a new go/no go gauge coming and a new pitch mic on order. We hope to have a final analysis next week sometime and I will know more then."

Only Savage barrels got the bad mic?

**sharpshooter** · 07-11-2018, 07:49 PM

I think you misunderstood what they are saying. To me it means they never had these tools to start with.

**celltech** · 07-12-2018, 06:38 PM

Got my cheap 3 wire set from ebay...kinda hard to use with the cheap digital calipers but the pitch diameter seems to come in around 1.027 or so on the OEM barrel. So within the Class 2B spec as well. Damn I wish I had been able to measure the x-cal one...grrr. Now I need to go buy a nice mic. This is gonna be an expensive barrel before it's all said and done.

**Robinhood** · 07-12-2018, 08:09 PM

You really need a 1-2" micrometer.

**Robinhood** · 07-12-2018, 08:17 PM

Use grease to hold them in place.

**Robinhood** · 07-12-2018, 08:34 PM

If you look at the chart for the 2A and 2B tolerances you can have as little as .0018 to as much as .0118 clearance in the male and female threads. This is way to much space on the max clearance. That .0118 is probably what the OP has with his loose fitting barrel right now. To me a .003 clearance would be good.

**celltech** · 07-13-2018, 08:56 AM

If I am reading the chart right even at a Class 3A the clearance could be as high as .0078. And my measured OEM PD falls in both 2A/3A territory....so I don't know what class Savage uses. But I can sure tell you x-cal was not following either of them.

**gbflyer** · 07-13-2018, 10:22 AM

I tend to thread them to a loose fit. First, because galling a thread is not a good time. I once cut some muzzle threads too tight. My test piece threaded on perfectly until I de-greased it. Threaded on but would not come off. I got to cut it off and start over🤬. Barrel steel, especially stainless, is pretty soft.

I have one 7-08 barrel for my Borden that I made a mistake on threading, it’s very sloppy. It’s ended up being one of the best shooters I own, I’m glad I didn’t cut off the tenon before I tested it. No barrel nut though, I can certainly see where loose nut and loose into the receiver would lead to the OP’s issue.

I still haven’t checked my factory X-Cal. It’s been 14 hour days. Gotta love being self employed

**Robinhood** · 07-13-2018, 09:14 PM

How loose is loose GB?

**gbflyer** · 07-13-2018, 09:47 PM

Looser than I’d like

. Actually, I’m scared to check it with a 3 wire. Even after a couple of hundred rounds my OCD might kick in and cause me to do something rash

.

**Robinhood** · 07-14-2018, 01:27 PM

Ha..lol

**celltech** · 07-14-2018, 03:02 PM

Even with my floppy fish fit I was shooting 1/2" groups right off the bat. Witness the power of the Savage floating bolt head! I just want my 6.4 mils of scope adjustment back...